I always assumed, or like to think anyway, that New Potato wasn't planned, and was Jerry showing a Prankster side and saying "Here ya go Phil, here's our one song with a built in bass solo!" It sounds abrupt to me, if they were expecting it they'd have tried a little harder to make it smoother. And yes, there's the insane amount of acid unknown numbers of band members were on, but I think they sound surprisingly coherent during the set. They were pros though, listening to 5/7/69 just a month earlier one has to assume Garcia was out of his gourd, but they still pulled off some respectable jams.

At any rate, it's probably ranked last among the mere three 1969 versions of NPC for me, but it's fully competent and so damn appropriate that it ended its tenure on such a night. I rarely mess with the rest of the show but the first set is one of those famous moments in history caught on tape that also delivers an enjoyable musical experience.

The band members have often said they don't remember many individual gigs and that years like 1969, with 150-odd shows, blend together. But several have recalled this night. Scholarly evidence has pegged this as the "too-dosed-to-play" show. Garcia and Lesh both mentioned eventually being unable to play during this night. What's surprising to me is that there weren't several like that - or was this just that extreme? This was the end of a 4-day run, a week after a Winterland benefit. This time the Dead headlined, with Junior Walker opening. There are 3 sets, the 1st and 3rd of which are the Dead. Several other musicians step in for the 2nd, having come to the gig after playing a free show in Golden Gate Park. The show also has the last [confirmed] Potato Caboose. After being exposed to a dozen doses, Hunter spent a couple days coming down and wrote Black Peter. "That moment may well have been the peak of psychedelic music for me" - Phil.

First Set. Dancing in the Street has a pitch error on all copies but is otherwise above average. Mark Spoelstra's Just a Hand to Hold was known as "He Was a Friend of Mine" to the boys and was officially released bearing this title. It's not bad this night, though still maudlin as fuck. This is a bit of a one-of-a-kind China Cat. Some have said they sound straight, but this sounds pie-eyed to me. This is the last extant New Potato and it has some unique jamming, and a seriously nice sequence where Phil plays the Patricia jam. By Me & My Uncle they are getting too dosed. But they make a 46min set like champs...and then couldn't go back on for a few hours! Phil estimated he had consumed enough for a dozen people. After some time, guests take over the middle set, playing a lengthy Lovelight. There are possibly a few moments where Lesh attempts to play during this set and maybe a Dead drummer. Pigpen seems to come on and offstage as emcee. Wayne Ceballos is on guitar, Billy Nicks has been identified on drums, and people from Walker's band are on keys. After a drum solo, Elvin Bishop comes on for The Things I Used To Do. Not likely dosed, Pigpen comes out for Who's Lovin' You Tonight.

Second Set. After another long break the Dead apparently get a handle, trying another set with a suite that starts with a wonderful Cryptical. If not entirely cohesive, The Other One is like when you look the next day at the perfectly insightful, illuminating, terse thing you wrote at the Dead show, that you thought was the best idea you've ever had, and it says something like "it's the people!". If yr looking for lysergically dripping play, well, this was rote for them – though above average. We'll say tight but standard. Cosmic Charlie should have been on Fillmore W 69 instead of Hand to Hold. It's up there with 2/27.

1st Set:  B-
2nd Set: B+
Overall = 4 stars [for a little over an hour of Dead music]

Highlights:
China Cat Sunflower - melting into the final Potato
Cryptical Envelopment>The Other One>Cosmic Charlie - a sequence with several highlights

SOURCES: The 123986_sbd_miller is an upgrade over the core_4512, which is pitched way too slow (a half step). The 123986 only has a speed error for Dancing, which needs +1% pitch correction, until slowing further before the final vox, which need +2%. Just a Hand to Hold, China Cat Sunflower, and New Potato Caboose are on the bonus disc of Fillmore West 1969.

I've been noticing a fumbling around in the shows from this few weeks, and also a certain twangy element. Had Garcia already switched to a Strat by now? It sounds like he doesn't know his guitar like he used to. But it's hot! Can't stand Bishop, but other than that...

this is the show that Phil writes about being dosed. Evidently Garcia as well which explains why he sat out for a bit. I think McNally (Dennis) can tell this story(second hand as he wasnt there i dont think he came to the scene later). probably heard this from jerry himself as McNally 'interviewed' Jerry extensively. but this is conjecture on my part knowing about all the 'interviews' he did with Jerome.

in the apple juice.
enough for 10,000 people

Sometimes it pays to revisit these old gonzo shows after many years. I make a habit of checking out the recently reviewed stuff, especially these older shows, if I don't recall them immediately. Somehow this monster had fallen out of my memory banks. I'll try not to let that happen again.

I actually reviewed this show six years back, in positively terms for sure, but not with the worshipful respect it deserves.

In particular, I slagged on the Dancin' and I've no idea why (I might even have been at the office listening on my lunch break -- not ideal for appreciating this sort of thing). This Dancin' is one of the great ones and has way more in common with my benchmark version (Kresge Plaza 5-6-70) than differences (the Kresge has a mix that's a tad kinder to Phil and Bobby than this one -- but this is still a great mix!). The band hits some incredible and unique peaks (including one where Phil plays some chords that I doubt were recorded before or after in this context). Then, with very little ado, back into the vocals.

The "return" vocal line where they sing "Ooooh sweeet music" in three part "harmony" are often a point of hilarity or despair depending on your viewpoint. They make it to third base, sliding, in this version.

Jerry's voice creaks like some stoned hillbilly later in the Dancin' outro and I think that sets up his amazing performance in the next number.

This is a favorite version of Friend of Mine, at least as great as the Hollywood Florida version from a couple weeks earlier, and very different in mood. It's still the same wistful song with the relatively gentle groove but this version lives in a special sector of its own ... super groovy, Jerry's amazing vocals and the sweet harmonies provided by Bob and Phil. And then ... at the beginning of the guitar solo, after the chorus, Garcia hits his volume knob to coax that faraway weeping sound out of his SG. That's when the floor dissolves.

A raging and primitive China Cat follows. Like no other, really. As great as the original versions (the evergreen outtakes from Aoxomoxoa).

And who ever would have guessed that the last New Potato Caboose ever played would be one of the best? The vocals delivered with deep feeling (again!). Phil blazing his crazy bass guitar tone around the merry-go-round. Around 8:00 in begins one of the greatest Garcia-powered excursions into the heart of music that was ever recorded. This is a solid 3:30 of ever-blossoming beauty that peaks like a mother. We're talking all crystal, no cracks. Not a speck of cereal. The train is moving 200 miles per hour and the engine driver is laying down the tracks without missing a board.

Whoever is playing guitar in Lovelight sure does sound like Jerry, although the soloing is kept to a minimum. Could be he's just playing a guitar similar to Jerry's through the same system. Phil and Bobby are there for sure and Pig shows up for some vocals. These three tracks are some of the best curveballs in the Archive, I think. Certainly more bang for the buck than Grace at Winterland in October 1972 (but not as good as Janis with the whole band).

The Other One seems restrained by comparison to what went before. Much of the time the energy is more like what'd you'd expect to hear in the jaunty "in between" moments of a Dark Star from this era.

The Cosmic Charlie is sung and played with verve, just as you'd expect after hearing the phenomenal vocals in the first set. Dig the lengthy recording of the audience begging for more. Those Frisco freaks were lucky: all they had to do was read the entertainment section of their local paper and they could get more ... a lot more!

I just keep playing the first 4 songs over and over.
They are all just stunning versions of each song. The Dancing is really great--totally energized and great jamming. Then a bit of a pace change, but the He Was a Friend of Mine is exquisite. The China Cat --> New Potato Caboose has to be heard to be believed. Damn it seems like they should have kept New Potato Caboose -- just an exquisite tone to it, incredible jam vehicle and the jam toward the end seems to invite a bunch of transitions.

This is just some fantastic stuff, what a show and what a recording.

Thank you Charlie.

Really don't know what Pig Street ! is talking about. Guess we all have our own point of view.

I remember Aum and Wayne Ceballos. I used to see them a lot back in those days at the Avalon and Fillmore - had their first couple of albums. The same with Elvin Bishop, especially when he played with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

Yeah, I'll agree he's no Pigpen, but so what. In his own right, his vocals on Love Light is right on. The only flaw I noticed is that when Bobby comes in, Wayne sounds way, way in the background like his mic was turned down low. Other than that it sounds like a classic jam from great bands getting together and putting out music, which is what they used to do back in those days, whether it was with the Airplane or Big Brother or Quicksilver or whoever.

Maybe you had to be there to know what I'm talking about. I wasn't at this particular show on this particular night, but I was at other ones back in those days, and to me and others who were present at those shows it was a great night at the Fillmore or Family Dog.

Why Jerry didn't play with Wayne or Elvin on the songs they were on is anybody's guess, but to say that those songs lacked magic because he didn't or because Pig didn't is really not to know what the community of spirit was about back in those days. It was like being in one, big family back then - the more the merrier.

When I hear stuff like this, or read reviews like the one below, it just makes me long for those lost days even more, because it makes me realize how lost those days are now even though we still have the concert and the music.

It's just not the same. The vibes are there - but the feeling no longer exists.

Hopfeully one of these days they can be recaptured.

Peace

This is why I love this site. Shows that have been collected over the years through trading, then downloading, blogs, forums etc....are getting the facelift by the generous tech heads through transferring, BERTHA and such.
I'm ecstatic to hear the favorite first set of the gooing Psychedelic years surface. Read Phil's book about the hallucinations Phil was having observing Garcia play during this set.
I favor the 60's version of Dancin' over the disco years, this one flows wonderfully into He Was A Friend of Mine>China Cat that leaves me breathless anticipating one of the last (I believe)performances of > New Potato Caboose!!!! Drippy to say the least. MAMU, weird place for it but it could be that was all that could put out for the moment.

The ironic thing about this show is that 2/3rds of the second set suck out loud due to Wayne C. vocals on Lovelight, enough has been written before about this train wreck.

Jer returns for TOO>Cosmic to bring some sort of closure front this weird second set. Thanks for more for the Grate years for the Band!